Roger had a special connection with each of his siblings, helping out at Lee’s farm many seasons, falling under the fatherly guidance of Verle who married late in life, traveling with Pat and his parents a lot when he was young, and sharing a close relationship with Helen for all of his life, not just when they each lived in Chicagoland, but even after she moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina, and after he lost much of his ability to communicate. As testament to this, Helen, age 91 now, flew to Omaha in November so that she could spend time with Roger and share goodbyes with him. After graduating from Waukon High School in 1960, Roger attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, on a track scholarship, graduating with a degree in mathematics. Although his father (WW I) and brothers (WW II) served in the US Navy, Roger tried, in 1964, to become an officer in the US Army. He was unsuccessful in that endeavor and, instead, deployed to Alaska for his service. Had he made officer, he likely would have gone to Vietnam instead. In Alaska, Roger proved to be a strong cross-country skier, and the Army often had him carry, in addition to his own, the backpack of a weaker skier. Roger’s tour was from May of 1964 to June of 1966. When he returned to Iowa, he continued his education, first at Iowa State in Ames before transferring to the University of Iowa in Iowa City where he earned his Master of Actuarial Science in 1968.
Roger met the love of his life in 1967 when he was visiting his brother, Lee, and Lee’s wife, Barbara. Barbara’s good friend, Norma, her husband, Chet, and their daughter, Sherryl Lee Barr, were also visiting Barbara. Sherryl was holding Lee and Barbara’s son, Chuck. When Chuck fell asleep in Sherryl’s arms, Roger had the assignment to take the sleeping baby from Sherryl and deliver him to his crib. At this time, Roger was studying in Iowa City, and Sherryl was attending St. Luke’s in Cedar Rapids. The next meeting was when Norma asked Roger to drive Sherryl back to Cedar Rapids on his way back to Iowa City. Shortly after that, when Sherryl needed a date for a St. Luke’s dance, Roger’s niece, Bobbi, suggested Sherryl ask Roger, and she did. Roger proposed to Sherryl soon after, around March of 1968. Roger and Sherryl wed in Waterville, Iowa, on August 24, 1968, and honeymooned in Estes Park, Colorado, for two weeks. Roger had secured a job as an actuary at Washington National Insurance in Evanston, Illinois, and the newlyweds moved to neighboring Skokie in 1969. Within a year, Roger tired of the 20-minute commute, and the couple moved to Evanston, living at the corner of Church and Ridge. They welcomed their first child, a daughter, Corie Christine, in March of 1970. Though he had wanted a son, Roger quickly adjusted to being a girl dad. He was an incredible dad. That long-awaited son, Chet Olvin, arrived in June of 1973. Chet showed Roger that even though being a girl dad is great, having a son is just as rewarding.
Accepting a job offer at Mutual of Omaha Insurance, Roger moved his family to Omaha, Nebraska, in May 1974. The kids loved everything about having a house and yard, something they did not have in Evanston. Roger worked hard and taught his kids to value hard work, but better than that, Roger was present for his children. He took them to church. He read to them at night; he taught them to ask questions and to understand the importance of history. He did something with them on a nightly basis after work and usually also had something planned for Saturday, typically the zoo or Fontenelle Forest, or maybe a movie. Roger and Sherryl wished to have many children. Around 1978, they became foster parents, first to Jackie and next to Bobby and concluding with Christopher. There were many children in those years, but these are the three who stayed with the family the longest and left the deepest impact.
Roger and Sherryl welcomed their youngest child, Megan Louise, in January of 1982, the perfect completion to the family. Each nine years younger than their closest sibling, Roger and Megan always had a special connection. Corie and Chet remember Dad and Megan eating canned sardines on what seemed like a nightly basis. Megan loved her “dundeens.” Mutual of Omaha gave Roger the “gift” of early retirement when he turned 55 in 1997. Always the provider, Roger took a job with Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Dallas. His youngest still in high school, Roger wanted to give her the same opportunities he gave his older kids, and that meant working, even though it was in Texas. He came home on the weekends, and the family enjoyed spending time at his home in Plano, TX, especially when it meant they could swim in his pool, escaping from the cold winters of Omaha. While in Dallas, Roger changed employment to SCOR SE, a reinsurance company. By now, Corie had children, and Roger was a grandpa to Joseph Todd Hansen, born in May of 1998, and to Christine Leigh Hansen, born in April of 2001. Just as he invested in his kids, Roger found ways to pour into his grandchildren. He returned to Omaha in 2002 and began a career with Resource Insurance Consultants and did not retire until he reached the age of 76. His children continued to bless him with grandchildren. Daniel Mark Hansen arrived in March of 2004. Then came Chet’s kids: Charles Olvin Palmer in June of 2005 and Ava Christine Palmer in December of 2006. Megan did her part and gave Roger two more grandsons: Elijah Michael Trompke in March of 2009 and Christopher Noah Trompke in August of 2011. Jaden Kenneth Jensen joined the fleet of grandkids with his marriage to Christine in June 2024. Roger was always active: a marathon runner, a former lifeguard, a center on the football team, a cross-country skier, a cyclist, a roller-blader, a canoer, and a lap swimmer. He taught his kids to be active as well. Roger and Corie worked out together, swimming and lifting weights, at the Maple Street YMCA for years until COVID. Roger and Corie did sprint triathlons together, Roger commenting that he mailed in his Medicare application and his first triathlon registration the same week (and confessing he was glad he didn’t know about triathlons sooner). Roger and Chet participated in Boy Scouts together, and Roger did not miss any of Chet’s Little League games or his football games when Chet played for Central High. Megan had special talent in volleyball, andRoger took great pride in that, always loving to watch her dominate with her serves. When Roger met with the hospice nurse in May of 2024 and she asked him what his goals were (she was thinking end-of-life goals), Roger said he’d like to be able walk, without his walker, a mile a day. She promptly told him that this was not a safe option, and so he told her he’d settle for ten pushups a day.
Roger and Sherryl attended many churches over the years: Trinity Lutheran in Evanston, Immanuel Lutheran, Augusta Lutheran, and Salem Lutheran in Omaha. They followed Megan to Trinity Interdenominational (now Lifegate) around 1997, and Roger enjoyed fellowship there until COVID and online participation since then. Roger had a love for Jesus and was not selfish about it. Over the years, he taught Sunday School and served in many capacities in his congregations. Most of all, though, Roger’s testimony was his quiet example of how to live like Jesus, how to love like Jesus, and how to forgive like Jesus.
Around 2010, Roger began to exhibit signs of Parkinson’s Disease, and he fought so hard against everything that disease sought to steal from him. By August of 2022, Roger needed additional care and moved into assisted living at New Cassel Retirement Community where he quickly became known as the guy with the smile that could melt any heart and the man who loved soft serve ice cream more than anyone the world has ever known. In every new stage of loss to Parkinson’s, Roger never once complained. He did not approach life any differently. He demonstrated to his family and friends what it means to be happy despite circumstance. Roger moved to Legato Living Memory Care in October of 2024 where they loved him well. He fell into a coma-like state on Thursday morning, December 5th, and remained that way until Saturday morning when he completely surprised the staff at Legato by greeting them with a “Good Morning.” He asked them to call the family, and most were able to get there to see him, with open eyes and an ability to speak that he’d not had in months. Roger even got him some soft serve ice cream to sip. It had to have been so hard for his body to come out of a state of unresponsiveness just to tell his family goodbye, but that is who Roger was. As Sherryl would say, that is the power of love. Roger loved his family well. Wearing his favorite Green Bay Packers polo, Roger slipped back into sleep and passed away at 5:33 am on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day –and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing
Roger S. Palmer, beloved husband, father, brother, and grandfather. Roger passed away peacefully on December 10, 2024, at the age of 82 in Omaha, NE.
Roger was born to the late Charles and Cora Palmer in La Crosse, Wisconsin on September 4, 1942.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years Sherryl, his children Corie (Mark) Hansen, Chet (Anna) Palmer, Megan (Josh) Trompke. He also leaves behind his sister Helen Palmer and grandchildren, Joseph Hansen, Christine (Jaden) Jensen, Daniel Hansen, Charles and Ava Palmer, as well as Elijah and Christopher Trompke. In addition to his parents, Roger is preceded in death by his siblings, Lee, Allen (Verle) Palmer and Pat (Palmer) Schwager.
A visitation will take place at Braman Mortuary (72 St Chapel) on Thursday, December 19, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
A Celebration of Life service will be held : Friday, December 20, 2024. 11:00am, at Lifegate Church - Leavenworth St. in Omaha, NE,
Roger will be laid to rest at Omaha National Cemetery with a Graveside Service scheduled for Friday, December 20, 2024, at 2:30 pm.
In Lieu of Flowers Memorials may be directed to Lifegate Church, Assure Womans Center, or New Cassel Retirement Center
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